LicensePlateInfo.com's License Plates For Sale:

Texas

Last updated November 9, 2018

Keep in mind:

The photographs below are only meant to show the design of the plates that are for sale. They are not intended to show the condition of the plates. The plates shown in the photographs mayormaynot be a photo of the actual plate that is for sale!! If a plate number is listed in the description then the picture shown is the actual plate for sale. Otherwise the plate(s) for sale will be the same design but may have a different plate number.

To see an explanation of grading terms used go to the page on license plate grading terms. This page includes links to several other pages with photographic examples of each grading term most license plate collectors use.

This list is divided into four parts. The first section lists singles of ordinary passenger car plates. Below the single passenger section are pairs of ordinary passenger plates. Next is a section showing all years of unissued validation stickers that I have available (both license plate stickers and windshield stickers). All stickers were never issued. The last section lists non-passenger or specialty plates (such as truck, trailer, motorcycle, government, environmental, college, etc.).

This is a hobby to me, not a business. I don't have online ordering or checkout. If you are interested in anything e-mail me at

For other jurisdictions of the United States or Canada, follow this link.

Texas did not require that motor vehicles be registered until 1907. From 1907 until the middle of 1917 Texas license plates were not provided by the state. During this period, when a vehicle was registered the county clerk assigned it a number and the vehicle owner was required to display that number on the vehicle.The license plate collecting community calls these "prestate" plates, meaning before state-issued plates.

Prestate plates were made of various materials, or the assigned number was just painted directly onto the vehicle.Leather pads with house numbers bradded onto them were common. Later some companies started making a kit where individual numbers were slotted or otherwise attached to a pre-made frame.

In Texas there was no requirement to have a state identification as most other states did, though some vehicle owners did put either the state name, county name or even town name on their plates.Oddly, registration was at the county level, not the state level. Any particular plate number was only unique to the county so by the end of the prestate period there could have been over 200 vehicles with any one number running around in the state - one in each county.

The prestate period in Texas ended in July 1917 after the Legislature created the State Highway Department. In order to fund the new department all vehicles had to be re-registered with new embossed metal plates which were issued by the state.

This particular plate is made of wood. It measures 5 5/8 by 11 3/4 inches. The numbers are metal house numbers tacked onto the wood base. The wood is half an inch thick but by the two mounting holes has been worn by a leather strap to only 1/4 inch in thickness.

This plate used to be in the collection of the late Phil Rozell, ALPCA member number 279, who passed away in 1996.

1935 good (# 367*720) $40

1942 gvg (# K44*517) $65

1951 gvg (# AD 2717) $28

1952 gvg (# FA 2726) $28

1954 aluminum, good (# FZ 2577) $35Texas normally made plates out of steel until the 2000s but in some years during the 1940s and 1950s a small number of plates were made of aluminum.The most common of these years was 1954.

1968 vg (# PZZ*27) $12

1970s:

1970 gvg (# RKH*577) $4

1972 mint (# TDT*488) $8

1973 vvg (# HBS*80) $6

1974 late manufacture(has the dies used on the upcoming 1975 plates),mint (# VLT*965) $8

This appears to be an ordinary 1974 passenger plate, however I don't think that it is.

The original allotment of 1974 plates went from BBB to the TXY series. As counties needed more plates during the year supplemental supplies of plates went into the "V" series. Someplace between VGL and VHD the original stock of plates was exhausted and more plates were manufactured. However these later-made plates were manufactured after the state had started manufacturing the upcoming 1975 plates. The upcoming 1975 plates had different dies and were made of a different material (galvanized steel rather than cold-rolled steel) so these later-made 1974 plates also used the 1975 dies and were made of galvanized steel (see the late-manufacture 1974 plate above for an example). Late-manufacture plates are known from the VHD to VMG series with nothing higer than VMG known.

So how do we get plates in the "Y" series with the original-manufacture 1974 dies and cold-rolled steel?

My hypothesis is that this is a passenger replacement plate. Texas did have replacements for some truck and trailer types from the 1950s to 1974 but as far as I know never had replacement passengers. The truck and trailer replacements were always numbered at the very end of the allotted numbering block for their respective types, eg the "7Y" prefix for trucks when trucks were allotted "1A" to "7Z" and the K90*000s for combination when combination plates were allotted J*100 to K99*999. So it would make sense that passenger replacements would be high in the "Y" series.

But until some documentation surfaces the replacement hypothesis is just a guess!

1992 vvg (# BKJ*35C) $12The "big red" TEXAS design in the AAA*00A numbering pattern only ran from the BBB to BKW letter combination, making it the most uncommon design of the stickered-plate era (1975 to 1994).

1992 vvg (# GJW*05N) $5The two bars by the "92" indicates registration in a county requiring emissions testing.

1993 vvg (# 446*UTF) $5

1993 vvg (# BFL*98V) $12The "big red" TEXAS design in the AAA*00A numbering pattern only ran from the BBB to BKW letter combination, making it the most uncommon design of the stickered-plate era (1975 to 1994).

1994 vvg (# 898*XBP) $5

1994 vvg (# LKM*51D) $5The two bars by the "94" indicates registration in a county requiring emissions testing.

Beginning in 1994 (for registrations expiring in 1995) Texas began issuing a windshield sticker to validate most types of plates rather than a plate sticker. Because of this all passenger and truck plates issued since then have no plate stickers. However since Texas assigns plates to the counties in numerical order the year of issue can generally be determined within a year or two by the plate number. For undated passenger and truck plates validated by a windshield sticker I have noted the most likely year of issue.

1995 issue (expire 1996),mint (# TCP*25L) $4

1996 issue (expire 1997),mint (# VMH*74S) $7The 150 Years of Statehood design was issuedonly during the first half of 1996.

1996 issue (expire 1997),vvg (# WCM*34C) $6The 150 Years of Statehood design was issuedonly during the first half of 1996.

1998 issue (expire 1999),mint (# C76*SDV) $4

2000s:

2002 issue (expire 2003),vvg (# T68*GFR) $2.50

2004 issue (expire 2005),mint (# Z16*XJK) $3

2005 issue (expire 2006),mint (# 698*DXT) $3

2006 issue (expire 2007),mint (# 655*LTY) $3

2007 issue (expire 2008),mint (# 488*XLR) $3

2007 issue (expire 2008),mint (# BCB*858) $3

2008 issue (expire 2009),mint (# KPV*977) $3

2009 issue (expire 2010),mint (# VBC*659) $3

2009 issue (expire 2010),mint (# BL2*Z094) $3

2009 issue (expire 2010),vvg (# BL7*D347) $2

2010s:

2010 issue (expire 2011),mint (# BM5*D422) $3

2010 issue (expire 2011),vvg (# BN9*M713) $2

2011 issue (expire 2012),exc (# DG8*V098) $2

2012 issue (expire 2013),mint (# DX4*S563) $2

2012 issue (expire 2013),mint (# BFW*3513) $2

2014 issue (expire 2015),gvg (# DYH*8696) .75c

2016 issue (expire 2017),gvg (# HMW*3692) .75c

Texas Passenger-Car Plates (Pairs):

1958 pair

both plates mint(# AD*8440)

$100

1960s:

1964 pair

both plates mint(# KB*8671)

$200

Take note! Texas has what is commonly called a Year-of-Manufacture Law (YOM). This allows vehicles that are 25 years old or older to be legally registered with a pair of plates from the vehicle's model year.

However from 2004 to 2009 Texas issued passenger plates in the same numbering formats used from 1965 to 1990. Due to the state's policy of using plates for no more than eight years most of these 2004/2009 plates are off the roads by now. However many of these 2004/2009 plate numbers still show up in the state's computer system even though they may have been expired for many years.

Some county tax offices will not register a pair of 1965/1990 plates if a record with the same number from the 2004/2009 series of plates shows up in the computer system. So before inquiring about a pair of 1965/1990 plates I have, be sure to check with your local county tax assessor-collector's office to make sure they will register them. The state's policy is that 1965/1990 plates should be registerable, however it seems to be at the whim of the clerk at the local tax office, so be sure to checkwithyourcountyfirst!

1969 pair

both plates mint(# HGZ*688)

$100

1970s:

1971 pair

vvg / vg(# BCK*131)

$75

1972 pair

both plates mint(# TDT*495)

$100

1973 pair

both plates vg(# GKN*985)

$45

1974 pair

mint / vvg(# DWF*711)

$25

1975 pair

vvg / gvg(# KAX*140)

$100

1976 pair

exc / vg(# CQZ*631)

$100

1980s:

1984 pair

both plates vg(# 617*EQT)

$80

1985 pair

exc / vvg(# 373*FTC)

$100

1986 sesquicentennial pair

both plates mint(# 322*NSJ)

$100

1988 sesquicentennial pair

vvg / vg(# 820*MFN)

$80

1990s:

1990 sesquicentennial pair

both plates vg(# 991*LTC)

$75

1991 pair

both plates vvg(# CTV*16L)

$90

1992 sesquicentennial pair

both plates vg(# 020*KRN)

$75

1992 pair

vvg / mint(# FRB*65N)

The plate with the stickers was never used but the scotchlite is wrinkled (mainly on the "B") due to being in a pile with other plates putting pressure on the scotchlite causing it to become marred.

$50

1993 pair

both plates vvg(# HJM*95X)

$80

1994 sesquicentennial pair

vvg / vg(# 728*MPK)

$80

1994 pair

both plates vvg(# LSN*77F)

$80

1996-issue 150 Years of Statehood pairThis design was issued only during the first half of 1996

vvg / vg(# VWM*98Y)

$30

Texas Validation Stickers(all are mint, unissued and on their original backing):

1976 passenger $5

1976 private bus $2

1976 farm trailer $2

1976 farm truck $5

1976 motorcycle $10

1976 sample $5

1976 tractor $2

1976 trailer $2

1976 token trailer $2

1976 travel trailer $2

1976 truck $5

1977 "universal" (used on most types of plates) $5

1977 disabled person $5

1978/2004 month (May, June, August and October available) $1 ea

1979 motorcycle March month (used on all motorcycle renewals in 1978 (from 1977) - to expire March 1979) $5

1978 "universal" (1978s were used on passenger and truck plates only) .50c

1978 disabled person (1978s were used on passenger and truck plates only) $1

2003-issue disabled (expire 2004) with small state name, vg (# 5 VB-MP) $5Some disabled plates were mistakenly made with the small state name of other non-passenger plates.

Disabled Veteran:

Take note! Disabled veteran plates have never used the same year stickers as ordinary passenger, truck and most other types of plates. Prior to the mid-1990s disabled veteran plates were validated with a specal year sticker with the letters "DV" on them.

Note that all of the disabled veteran plates I offer here have the proper "DV" sticker.

Most disabled veteran plates you see are front plates that someone slapped a regular year sticker onto, not realizing that after 1976 a few types of plates used special year stickers with the classification on them. For a comparison see the "universal" (regular) year stickers above.

1979 disabled veteran, gvg (# DV*3264) $9

1983 disabled veteran, vg (# DV*3264) $12

Pairs:

1974 disabled veteran pair

vvg / mint(# 3878*DV)

The plate with the sticker has had scuffs on the numbers touched up with a red marker.

$18

Disaster Relief:

1981 disaster relief, mint (# 12D*144) $25

1983 disaster relief, mint (# 12D*207) $25

Farm Trailer:

2011 farm trailer, vvg (# DSR*S73, Austin County) $2

2012 farm trailer, vvg (# DCV*X27, Hamilton County) $2

2012 farm trailer, vg (# DXF*P22, Washington County) $1.50

2013 farm trailer, mint (# FBS*J57, Garza County) $3

Farm Truck:

1970 farm truck, mint (# 8N*8742) $2

Farm Truck Tractor:

circa-2003 farm truck tractor, vvg (# T27*197) $5Has some scuffs on the last "7" touched up with a blue marker.

1983 personalized, mint (# M GILLY) $12The straight-line die for the letter "I" was only used for a few years in the early 1980s. The normal "I" die had serifs.

1986 personalized, mint (# KIT-II) $6Uncommon September expiration.All personalized plates expired in March until late 1984 when new applications during the latter part of the year would be assigned an expiration month of September.

Personalized Disabled:

1984 personalized disabled, mint (# MES 9) $

Purple Heart:

circa-2008 purple heart, mint (# PH 3 HZP) $15

Radio Operator:(Amateur (ham) radio operator.)

1972 radio operator, mint (# WA5*QKY) $7

1983 radio operator, mint (# KA5IEC) $12The straight-line die for the letter "I" was only used for a few years in the early 1980s. The normal "I" die had serifs.

Rental Vehicle:(Passenger plates with a "rental vehicle" sticker. These were only issued for a short time and the "rental vehicle" sticker was usually on the front plate only.)

1975 rental vehicle, gvg (# MXU*985) $12

Tractor:

1977 tractor, mint (# T32*186) $6

Trailer:

1990 trailer, vg (# 166*79Q) $8

2006 trailer, vvg (# 76Y*KWG, San Saba County) $2

2007 trailer, vg (# 08Y*NJB, Polk County) $1.50

2009 trailer, mint (# 89Z*VBL, Sterling County) $3

undated (circa 1980) trailer error plate, mint (# 58S*419) $5

Trailer plates at this time were numbered with one letter and up to five numbers. However this plate was mistakenly made with the letter "S" in the wrong position. The number should have been S58*419, not 58S*419. Plates numbered with two numbers, the letter "S" and three more numbers were from the soil conservation classification, not trailer.

10-18 Trailer:(10-18 trailer plates were used on semi-trailers with a carrying capacity over 10,000 but not over 18,000 pounds. The type was merged into token trailer in 1972.)

1967 10-18 trailer, vg (# Y23*663) $7

Token Trailer:(Used on the trailer half of most 18-wheelers.)

Veryrare late-manufacture 1974 token trailer, vvg (# Z39*685) $100

In 1975 Texas introduced multi-year plates, validated by stickers from 1976 onwards. To make room for the sticker boxes on the 1975 plates the classification on non-passenger plates was moved from the bottom of the plates to the top and placed just under the state name.

During 1974, after the manufacturing equipment was retooled and the 1975 plates had begun to be made, more 1974 plates were needed. Rather than retool the equipment again to make plates look like other 1974 plates, they just took out the sticker box dies and put in the "19" and "74" dies.

Token trailer plates in this design are exceedingly rare. I have been a license plate hobbiest in Texas since the early 1970s and did not know this variety existed until I stumbled across a few of them in a Houston antique mall in 1996. These are the only token trailer plates in this design that I have ever seen.

To the best of my knowledge only truck and token trailer were made in this late-manufacture design.

These plates were never used but the plate with no stickers was stuck to the other one and some paint and scotchlite came off when they were separated.

$35

1992 truck pair

both plates mint(# AS8*864)

$80

1993 truck pairThis particular pair was originally issued in 1984

both plates gvg(# ZF*3520)

$20

1993 truck pair

both plates exc(# DH6*244)

$50

1994 truck pair

exc / vvg(# GR9*102)

$35

Truck Tractor:(Became "combination" in 1972.)

1970 truck tractor, mint (# J68*707) $7

Fertilizer Truck:

1988 fertilizer truck, mint (# 14B*376) $4

2002 fertilizer truck, mint (# 12B*986) $4

2010 fertilizer truck, mint (# 13B*307) $3

2012 fertilizer truck, mint (# 12B*083) $3

Tow Truck:(Tow truck plates were first issued in 1988 (expire-1989) as a small-sized plate which was used as a supplemental plate alongside the wrecker's regular truck plates.In 1998 (for expire-1999 registrations) these small plates were discontinued when full-sized "tow truck" plates were issued to replace the wrecker's regular truck plates.In spite of having sticker boxes, the full-sized tow truck plates never used plate stickers.)

1988 tow truck, vg (# 145*30W) $35

Texas planned on introducing tow truck plates in 1987 (expiring in January 1988). However there was a dispute about whether they would be used alongside the wrecker's regular truck plate or in place of it.

As a result the full-size expire-1988 tow truck plates which had been manufactured were never issued.

The first tow truck plates that were issued were the small-sized expire-1989 plates (which were issued as singles and used alongside the wrecker's regular truck plate).